Australian Funeral Industry – Consumer Choice – Regulation and Prices

Australian Funeral Industry – Consumer Choice – Regulation and Prices

By sydney coffins admin

24/11/2017

At some point in your life, you will be involved in the funeral industry. Whether it is for yourself or to arrange a funeral for a loved one. This article is provided by Sydney Coffins. Sydney Coffins is a memorial product and funeral provider in Australia, specialising in unique and personalised coffins, caskets and funerals.

So let’s talk a bit about the Australian Funeral Industry – An industry which most Australians know so little about.

Different Australian states function under different regulations. The funeral industry has minimal government regulation with a large portion relying on a self-regulatory system. So when it comes to funerals and most of all funeral prices how do Australians influence funeral prices in the industry?

Funeral price – Circumstance vs Choices

I like to compare the funeral industry with the wedding industry. Many may frown and question my ability to choose analogies. But this one is actually not so bad if you give it some thought.

A wedding is a huge event in life. As is a funeral. A wedding requires several services and products. As does a funeral. There are legal documents associated with a wedding. Same with a funeral. There is a celebrant or a minister usually at a wedding. Same with a funeral. Are you seeing the similarity? Ok, so when there is a wedding do you choose the first celebrant you meet?, Or the first cake you see? first church or hall, first menu, first dress? Probably not.

From what l know most people take weeks to months and sometimes even a year to organise a wedding. Is a Funeral as important as a wedding? Well, l shall let the readers decide on that.

The point l am trying to make is a funeral is a large event in a persons, peoples life, however, the decisions made surrounding a funeral are often made in such a short period of time compared to other important events in a person life.

The way people go about arranging and buying a funeral is partly their own doing but also it is the industry too which has an expectation and pressure it can quite easily place on people which by many Australians it could be seen that the industry has an advantageous position to be in. First of all, let’s discuss the circumstance that most Australians find themselves when it comes to arranging a funeral.

Funeral price – Circumstance

The sad but true fact is that most funeral homes are chosen very quickly and under duress and this is probably not what most Australians would willingly want. Most people would like the time and ability to process the best option but if time is given sparingly then the options decrease.

The moment most Australians chose a funeral home l don’t think they are consciously realising the hastiness of the decisions they have made and are yet to make.

It should be noted that most Australians do die in an institution. Whether it be a hospital or an aged care facility and by legal obligation, a deceased person must be removed and placed in a cool environment for obvious health reasons. So people are often making decisions quickly by the opinions, recommendations of people they barely know or trust or just a ‘worker’ that was on duty at the time. So what options do Australians have to better their decisions making process when it comes to choosing the best funeral?

Funeral price – Choice

Now, for Australians who have thought and about the inevitability of death and taken a proactive approach to researching and making a few calls one day they are probably in a better position. It’s not the most pleasant activity to do in your free time. But it’s a very worthwhile piece of information and even perhaps a list of numbers that will pay off in many ways.

The funeral might be remarkedly different. How different, you may ask? The funeral home has chosen better suits your requirements, the price that you will pay is affordable and suits your budget, the quality of the service is what satisfies you, and basically, your overall appreciation of the funeral is much better. Also, it is important to acknowledge that a funeral is an event that most people want to fondly look back on with no regret or disappointment.

Funeral Homes Online vs Funeral Homes

If you have googled the net for funeral homes you will notice quite a few are offering funerals online. Some offer a cheap price for funerals that do not require any phone calls, where much of the information is relayed via email and the internet.
This option is perfect for people who are seeking the cheapest funeral option available.

Sydney Coffins is a perfect example of how the internet allows us to provide products and services to the Australian public in the comfort of their own home. Some people prefer to walk into a funeral home however others prefer to arrange these services over the phone.

How can you maximise your choices?

Step 1.

Foresite is such a gift. It is so helpful to plan a little bit ahead. You don’t need to pre-buy a funeral or get funeral insurance. But just spending a few hours and call several funeral homes and ask for prices is so helpful. Write down the ones which you find appealing and honest and keep this for when you need to refer back to it. Otherwise, you will start from s

Step 2.

If you haven’t called for any quotes then now is the time to gather some quotes. If you have just experienced a death then you can ask for time so you can gather some quotes.

Most health and aged care have the facilities to retain a body. The funeral home you choose is a decision which must occur rather quickly however it does not have to happen within 10 minutes of searching the internet.

If you are feeling tremendous grief then it is best to contact a family member or close friend to be the one who gathers quotes. This can make such a difference.

Step 3.

While asking for quotes. Ask for a price list breakdown from the funeral. Ask for images of the products you will purchase to be emailed to you. We recommend you not accept a verbal list of prices over the phone as errors can easily be made.

Step 4.

Ask for the price of the final resting place.

If you live in an Australian Capital city such as Sydney or Melbourne. This item could be the priciest, so it is best to first ascertain this figure and then move onto the others.